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Warner praises Haiti

published: Saturday | April 14, 2007

FIFA vice-president Warner - Reuters

NEW YORK CITY, New York (CMC):

FIFA vice-president and boss of CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Jack Warner has praised Haiti and Honduras for their qualification for this summer's FIFA Under-17 World Cup tournament in Korea.

Haiti and hosts Honduras emerged as the two qualifiers from the Group A play-offs in Tegucigalpa last weekend when reigning world champions Mexico suffered surprise elimination.

In advancing to their first ever Under-17 Youth World Cup Finals, the Haitians drew with Mexico and Honduras before pounding El Salvador 3-0 in their last game to top the group.

"I am very pleased as president of CONCACAF and more so the CFU with Haiti's success, to see these two countries go on to represent us at the finals in August," Warner said.

"We have witnessed a very satisfying final round of youth qualifying action in Honduras with the hosts and our Caribbean champions fittingly advancing to the World Championship.

"Both teams displayed a level of passion and skill that saw them able to cross the final hurdle on the way to Korea," Warner said.

For Haiti, the reigning Caribbean Football Union (CFU) youth champions, it is their first qualification for the FIFA Under-17 Cup.

The other three CONCACAF representatives at the FIFA tournament - from August 18 to September 9 in Korea - will come from the CONCACAF Under-17 Group B play-offs later this month when hosts Jamaica entertain Canada, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.

That series is slated for the National Stadium in Kingston from April 28 to May 6.